New Technology Briefing: Digital exhibition spaces

Abstract

Exhibitions have for a long time constituted a regular component in the marketing mix for many organisations. They represent an opportunity for direct interface between a brand and potential consumers, and often become an integral part of brand activation and product launch activity. The advent of the internet and its increasing penetration worldwide have removed many of the geographical boundaries to sales and offered many organisations easy routes to new markets which until recently were associated with high development costs. It has also highlighted the opportunities available in respect of exhibitions, trade shows and face-to-face marketing available through the internet. This paper looks at the impact of the internet on trade exhibitions, and specifically at one company's work which enabled it to engage with a wider audience through internet support for its physical presence at a trade show. The company is RM plc, a leading provider of technology and related infrastructure and services to UK schools and education, and the exhibition was BETT 2005, a key education trade show which attracts nearly 25,000 purchasers from every level of UK education. Trade shows such as BETT are undoubtedly of critical importance to companies actively engaged in marketing to those verticals, but it is increasingly apparent that the audiences actually attending are a small fraction of the overall market. This paper looks at what the internet can offer to reach and convert audiences who may not consider or be able to attend a live event.